A quality muscle building diet is often the most neglected part of muscle building training.

Building muscle requires the right nutrition and the right diet. Make no mistake, it's an essential part of weight lifting and if you want to build muscle, you have to get it done.

Don't know what to eat? Don't know how much to eat? Try these sample menus to get you started.

The following body building menus are meant to help you design your own muscle building diet.

Sample 2,500 calorie per day menu A

Breakfast

' cup bran flakes
1 cup 1% milk
1 medium peach
1 whole wheat toast
1 tbsp peanut butter

' cup strawberries
' cup low fat yogurt
1 scoop (2oz) vanilla protein powder
1 cup 1% milk
' cup orange juice

Lunch

Peach Chicken and Rice

2 oz skinless chicken breast
' can sliced peaches
' tsp of cornstarch
' tsp peeled and grated ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup water chestnuts
' cup rice (uncooked)
' cup snow peas
' tsp extra virgin olive oil

Mid afternoon meal

3/4 cup 1% cottage cheese
' can (4oz) can peaches- sliced
1 English muffin
1 tbsp peanut butter

Post workout meal

Power Drink

1 scoop protein powder (2oz)
1 cup orange juice
1 medium banana
1 cup 1% milk
' tbsp honey

Dinner

Chicken Teriyaki

4 oz skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup low sodium teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp cornstarch
1/3 tsp ginger
' tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 - cup small broccoli florets
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts
1/4 cup rice (cooked)

Cooking Instructions

Peach Chicken and Rice.

Cook rice according to package directions. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning to brown evenly, until tender, usually 8-12 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

Meanwhile, drain peaches reserving juice. If necessary, add water to the juices to equal 1/4 cup. Stir in cornstarch, ginger, and salt. Add to the skillet and cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Cook and stir in the peaches and water chestnuts and heat through. On a plate, arrange the rice, snow peas, and chicken. Spoon sauce over the chicken and serve.

Power Drink

Mix all ingredients in blender.

Chicken Teriyaki

Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/4" pieces; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine teriyaki sauce, orange juice, cornstarch, and ginger; set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat.

Add the chicken pieces and stir fry until they are lightly browned, about 3-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl, leaving the drippings in the skillet.

Reduce the heat to moderate. Add broccoli to the skillet and stir fry for 3-5 minutes. Stir the teriyaki mixture and pour it into the skillet with the broccoli. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it is thickened and bubbly, about 2-4 minutes. Add water chestnuts and the cooked chicken. Continue cooking until heated through, serve over cooked rice.

Sample 3,500 calorie per day menu A

Breakfast

1 sliced peach
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
1 scoop (2 oz) vanilla protein powder
' cup blueberries
' whole wheat bagel
1 tbsp light cream cheese

Mid morning meal

1 cup strawberries
1 cup low fat yogurt
1 scoop (2oz) vanilla protein powder
1 cup 1% milk
1 cup orange juice

Lunch

Tuna Sandwich

' cup tuna
2 whole wheat slices of bread
1/4 cup diced celery
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
1/4 cup brown rice
1 tsp light mayonnaise
2 romaine lettuce leaves
1 cup cucumber
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 cube soup base

Mid afternoon meal

1 whole wheat bagel
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup cottage cheese
' cup strawberries

Post workout meal

Power Drink

1 scoop protein powder (2oz)
1 cup orange juice
1 medium banana
1 cup 1% milk
' tbsp honey

Dinner

Chicken Teriyaki

4 oz skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup low sodium teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp cornstarch
1/3 tsp ginger
' tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 - cup small broccoli florets
1 can (8oz) sliced water chestnuts
' cup rice (cooked)

Cooking Instructions

Tuna Sandwich

Cook brown rice according to label instructions but add a cube of soup base to taste once the rice and water start to boil.

Meanwhile, mix tuna, celery, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Mix well until creamy. Add chives and parsley. Spread on whole wheat bread. Add lettuce. Serve with cucumber and rice.

Power Drink

Mix all ingredients in blender.

Chicken Teriyaki

Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/4" pieces; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine teriyaki sauce, orange juice, cornstarch, and ginger; set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat.

Add the chicken pieces and stir fry until they are lightly browned, about 3-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl, leaving the drippings in the skillet. Reduce the heat to moderate.

Add broccoli to the skillet and stir fry for 3-5 minutes. Stir the teriyaki mixture and pour it into the skillet with the broccoli.

Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it is thickened and bubbly, about 2-4 minutes. Add water chestnuts and the cooked chicken. Continue cooking until heated through, serve over cooked rice.

There you have a sample muscle building diet you can use to ensure you're getting the calories you need each day to build muscle.

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